On March 22, 2018, in the Central District of California, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) supervisor Leslie Williams was arrested by agents of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) on charges of theft of Government property and making a false statement.1 Williams had been indicted for the offenses on March 21, 2018.2
According to the indictment, at all times relevant to the charges, Williams was employed by the IRS at an office located in Long Beach, California. Beginning on about February 12, 2016, Williams knowingly and willfully embezzled, stole, and converted for her own use Federal funds as the purported surviving spouse of her ex-husband, who had died on about January 22, 2016, and from whom she had been divorced since about November 15, 2013. Specifically, Williams claimed that, as the alleged surviving spouse, she was entitled to receive $25,999.50 in death benefit payments issued by the Office of Personnel Management, as well as $30,000 in retirement plan contributions issued by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
On about February 14, 2017, when interviewed by TIGTA special agents, Williams allegedly made a materially false statement by continuing to claim she was married to her ex-spouse until his death, when, in fact, Williams knew she had been divorced since about November 15, 2013.3
Williams was released on a $10,000 appearance bond and ordered to surrender her passport.4 If convicted, Williams could face a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years' imprisonment. Additional legal actions are anticipated.5
1 C.D. Cal. Executed Arrest Warrant filed. Mar. 22, 2018.
2 C.D. Cal. Indict. filed Mar. 21, 2018.
3 Id.
4 C.D Cal. Release Order and Bond Form filed Mar. 23, 2018.
5 C.D. Cal. Crim. Docket as of Apr. 4, 2018.